Speak now: How you can re-engage your quiet or loud quitters

Employee engagement in Australia is at an all-time high, but employers are being warned to keep an eye on their disengaged employees as stress levels push workers to the brink. That’s the warning alarm sounded by international management consulting firm, Gallup, in their State of the Global Workplace 2023 report.  

• International employee engagement peaked at 23% in 2022, with Australia & New Zealand also recording the same engagement rate
• Almost 60% of global employees are ‘quiet quitting’ by performing the bare minimum at work
• Another 18% are ‘loud quitting’ by taking actions that directly undermine leaders and workplace goals
• However, both figures have decreased in Australia, although the percentage of people quiet quitting here is above the global average at 67%
• 47% of Australians are also stressed at work, while 15% are experiencing ongoing anger 

During the pandemic, the term ‘quiet-quitting’ was coined as a growing number of employees coped with burnout by doing the bare minimum at work. In essence, they felt there were more important things in life and by mentally checking out of work, they could focus more on important personal matters. 

It’s a positive sign to see those figures decrease by 2% in Australia, albeit it means two-thirds of employees are still not engaged at work. But what can you do to tackle quiet quitting?

Jon Clifton, Gallup CEO, said if you’re not thriving at work, you’re unlikely to be thriving at life. With a direct correlation between the work-life balance, it’s critical you provide ongoing support for staff struggling with their own mental health or well-being. 

Beyond that, Mr Clifton also said employers should focus on their most winnable employees by making a few key changes to reengage their interest. So, how can you do that?

• Avoid long-term workload increases: There will be times when staff have to go above and beyond their normal workload, however, you must ensure this does not continue for the long term. Employees should not take on additional duties for an extended period of time unless there are worthwhile incentives. 
• Show respect: By respecting and listening to employee concerns you can support them through challenging periods. So listen to them, provide solutions and work together in a respectful manner instead of disregarding worries or delaying positive outcomes.
• Maintain clear boundaries: Never deny staff necessary time off. You have to provide and maintain clear work-life boundaries so your employees have a chance to clock off. For example, recognise when someone hasn’t had a long weekend or a holiday and support them by encouraging a break
• Provide compensation: Some of the most likely quiet quitters are your unsatisfied top performers – they feel like they already do too much for too little pay so they take a step back. Reward your best performers for the work they do instead of just dangling carrots.

How can you engage loud quitters?

Although your quiet quitters are the people most likely to become re-engaged with their work, it doesn’t mean you should give up on your loud quitters. Now, loud quitters are those who like to act out against leadership directions. This is most likely due to broken trust or a poor manager-staff relationship.

One option put forward by Mr Clifton is to provide a better manager to staff. There is every possibility key staff are acting out because they feel a manager is not cut out for the job, whether it’s because they’re a gritty micromanager or their leadership style is a touch more abrasive.

However, as Australia has the second-highest regional percentage of daily stress (47%), chances are your loud quitters are feeling highly strung. They’re dissatisfied, disengaged and keen to find new work if things don’t change. So what can you do to overcome this challenge and retain your best employees who are acting out?

• Act early: Although you might think loud quitters are employees who kick up a fuss from day one, chances are issues have been bubbling for some time. Act early and listen to their grievances, encourage their involvement and provide opportunities for increased employee engagement.
• Reduce stress factors: There could be a number of stress factors, such as poor management, a lack of team cohesion, heavy workloads, etc. Work with them to recognise what you can do to help and reduce the stress and potential causes of conflict.
• Support employee growth: Loud quitters often feel stuck. Their career has stagnated and there’s no room for growth. So break down those walls and give them career development opportunities, support learning and even consider a role change. It could be the spark they need to bring positive change to your workforce.